The Tale of the Ugly Troll (cont. Part II)

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

OOC: Because the last thread is getting to large, please continue from where we left off here.
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A Summary of Events


The group met successfully within a tavern and embarked upon the quest to regain knowledge of their lost memories, and more importantly, why they were striped of them.

Travelling to the local temple, they encountered a strange robed being who aided them with hints, clues, and more riddles to solve, in particular pointing out a local enchanted forest which could hold answers...

With no other visible options, as one, the group decided to journey to the forest and seek out one of the ancient sentient trees, in the hopes that the tip-off from the stranger would work out.

It did.

The party entered a sacred grove and encountered an ancient being known as "Aln'aeor", a mystic sentient tree with humanoid intelligence. Its memory had not been totally erased and he recalled something of knowledge that could aid the group. Offering them a blessing, the entire party accepted, though some, reluctantly, and each gained a unique power.

Along the way to meeting Aln’aeor, the party encountered the first of many enemies, and fought off an attack by shadow wolves. After leaving the mighty tree, they stumbled across the rocky dwelling of a shocker lizard, though unbeknown to them at the time – and after defeating it, and sparing its life, the lizard presented them with an oval shaped egg, though to what purpose, the group did not know…

During the battle, another observed – a human girl by the name of “Jena”, who had entered a portal. Greeted by the group, she was soon accepted and after spending the night talking to them, the group set off once more…

…And thus, the adventure continues…

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OOC:
Again, a note on posting styles:
Please don't use any ghastly or bright font colours - as for my own style, I post text in silver, thoughts in italics, and Aeriah's speech/text in green. Other characters get other colours for speech. Kyr's speech is in this for example. Varying colours may include gold
Also, please try not to use too dark a colour either, as black is quite hard to read, especially against brown. Avoiding conflicting colours is also good. Oh finally, please don't use colours other characters use for speech - it makes life easier.

[ 02-02-2005, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Originally posted by dplax: Drusalia 22/22 Drusalia sat down on a smallish rock and eat her portion of the boar in silence. She looked at Aeriah and Jena who were speaking among themselves next to the small stream. Then she saw Jena hand something to Aeriah. Aeriah's reaction surprised her greatly. She stood up and walked over to where Aeriah and Jena stood. "Is everything allright here?" - she asked in a normal voice while washing her hands in the small stream.

"Everything is fine" Aeriah responded, his tone slightly shaky, "Thank you for your concern, but really... its ok..."

[GameGurl25]

Jena smiled inside. “That’s what I thought.” Grinning slightly, she tucked the amulet back inside her shirt.

Noticing Drusalia, Jena turned and smiled brightly. “Oh, hello, Drusalia. I believe everything is ok. But...” Flashing Aeriah a swift glance, Jena continued “I feel more confused now than ever.” With that, she headed toward Aeriah’s tent to grab her cloak before continuing their long, perilous journey.

[dplax]

Drusalia 22/22

Drusalia watched Jena walk away as she washed her face in the clear water of the stream. She made a friendly smile and put a hand on Aeriah's shoulder.

"Remember if you have any problems you can talk to me about them."

She then looked deep in Aeriah's eyes trying to see whether she could make out anything in them.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

"Er, thanks." Responded Aeriah actually looking taken aback, "But I fear that I miss the meaning of your words... problems? I have no problems other then my lack of memory, Drusalia..." Coughing slightly, Aeriah feigned needing water, taking a long draught from his wineskin... Spluttering, he coughed again, "I mislaid my waterskin.. oh dear." closing his eyes, he shook his head, "Regardless I think we should um, continue with our journey." With that, the elf grabbed his cloak and fastened it, and without another word, his eyes unreadable, but a panicked light within them, judging from the way his eyes kept paranoidly darting around looking for danger, he set off, without a backwards glance, leaving Jena to pack the tent. "I'll, uh, go scout..."
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OOC: Edit, missed a tag

[ 11-29-2004, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]

[dplax]

Drusalia 22/22

"Are you sure you don't wish to tell me about it?" - she called after Aeriah.

[GameGurl25]

Jena 36/36

Making sure everything was packed neatly away, Jena tucked the folded tent into the proper carrying container. Pulling her hair back, Jena tied her wavy curls up with a twist, making sure none of her curls got in her face. Sitting down for a moment, she let the recent events flood her mind. So many emotions, she felt, all new...what were these feelings? tension? fear? attractivness...or something more or all of the above? Was she letting her feelings make her weak? No, it would be weak not to express them. Had she expressed them properly? No, she didn't think so. There was so, so much more she wanted Aeriah to know....but she was terrified. She let the tip of her bow dangle carelessly over her crossed legs. Glancing around, she wondered what everyone was up to. Quietly she sat, watching the other party members.

OOC: Edited for additions and grammer

[ 11-29-2004, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: GameGurl25 ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Stopping, the elf spun around and asked in confusion, "Tell you about what?" Aeriah looked genuinely suprirsed, "I don't know what you're talking about. There is nothing to tell you about... " he left the thought hanging in the air, though.

[dplax]

Drusalia 22/22

She looked at Aeriah for a few seconds before replying.

"There is clearly something which troubles you. I saw that when you took the amulet from Jena, you dropped it as if it were something you could not support. And just a few seconds ago I saw the look in your eyes. Something is bothering you. I think it would be better for you if you told me about it. Let the tensions out. You might feel better afterwards."

Drusalia wondered whether Aeriah was going to say anything to her, or if what he was going to say was going to be the truth. She made a few steps toward Aeriah so that she would hear better what he had to say.[/b]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Slowly closing his eyes, Aeriah spoke in slow, through gritted teeth tones "I. Don't. Know. What. I. felt." His tone was as hostile as Drusalia had ever heard it - which was to say, it was frustrated, confused, and he was scared - afraid - and he was hiding it behind his icy-green glass orbs. In calmer tones, he whispered, "I don't know." turning away, he asked pleadingly over his shoulder, "Please, just let it drop." It was the first time that anyone had heard him come close to begging, or losing control or for the first time, being really full of doubt. Whatever he had felt troubled him greatly.

~~~

The party continued their journey, after tidying their camp. Aeriah remained broody, lost in silence, and wishing to keep to his own thoughts. Even Kyr - or especially Kyr, stayed away from him, instead flying back and forth between Fai, Drusalia and Jena.

At the end of the third day, the party encountered a small band of raiding goblins (three in total) who ambushed them. With startling and frightening efficiency, Aeriah single-handedly dispatched them before the group could react, slaying them to a man. Though none of the goblins would have offered quarter, it was clear that they were ‘evil’ but even so, it was out of character for the elf to offer none (no quarter, that is).

Without another word, the elf left their corpses on the forest floor, and broke through the treeline, untouching their wealth. The party was left undisturbed from that point, but all who were close to him were concerned by his behaviour…

…Five days later, they arrived at the base of the mountain, and Aeriah’s mood had improved, as though the episode with the goblins had never happened.

The mountain itself was large, clouded and very impressive – intimidating almost. The low hung cloud surrounded the mountain in a swirling, misty haze of fog, and the summit could not be seen. The ground around the mountain had changed as well; becoming greyer, rougher, and the forest’s life, more sparse. Less trees, bushes and shrubs grew, and large rocks littered the area. They were at the start of their final leg of this journey, at least, from the tree’s description. There would be more afterwards of course, but they were finishing one part of the riddle, or so they hoped…

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OOC: if anyone searched the goblins, they’d have found a bag of copper pieces, worth 34cp, and a few stray arrows, a crude dagger, a rusted shortsword and a shortbow.